Music History exam 3, notes

A
Baroque
Word comes from Portuguese, meaning imperfect pearl, Originated in
rome.
originally used in a derogatory way, in criticism of
Hippolyte et arcie that it lacked coherent melody, with too many meter
changes etc.
Baroque music was of a slightly later period than that of baroque visual
and architectural arts.
Love of ornamentation.
Forms from that era: Concerto, sinfonia, Sonata
Age of absolutism
Ruling of the monarchy,
Louis XIV was the absolute monarch saying I am the state (L'etat c'est
moi)
Age of science
Spans from late 16th cent. Until around the 19th cent. Came from the
philosophical movement during the age of the enlightenment.
Newton, newtonianism. Philosophi Naturalis Principia Mathematica
(ca. 1686) one of the most important/influential documents in the
history of science.
Physical demonstrations were added to science lectures in the 18 th
cent.
Divine right of Kings
The idea that royalty is not subject to the rule of other men, but
exclusively subordinate to God itself, and being given the authority
from God, directly to rule mankind.
Basso Continuo
Played by a keyboard instrument, and an another bass instrument eg.
Cello, bassoon , or violone (ancestor of the double bass). The keyboard
player is not normally directed with all information with how the
composition should be performed; instead, partial information is
supplied (figured bass) which is embellished and fully realized by the
improvisations and developments of the performer.
Basso Ostinato/Ground bass
Obstinate/stubborn bass
repeating music phrase, line, or motif that continues, often while the
other things surrounding it continue to change.

Walking bass
Bass line the changes continuously, usually in step-wise motion
Figured bass/Thorough bass
Notation the uses numbers and symbols of harmonies that are to be
realized above the given note, allowing it to be realized and intended
to be improvised over.
Realization [of figured bass]
Adding passing tones,
Adding suspensions,
The primary bass notes are usually (or never) altered. Harmonies and
other embellishments are free for alteration etc.
Recitative/Recitativo
Used as information delivery, singers are allowed to use normal speech
rhythms etc.
Used in operas, cantatas, and operas.
Two types of Recitativo, Secco (mostly syllabic, accompanied only by
continuo) ed accompagnato (con lorchestra, more melismatic, arioso)
Aria
Est. by A. Scarlatti,
The term was originally used for instrumental works in the 16th cent;
however, by the end of the 16th cent, the aria was used as a simple
way to set poetry or text.
Binary arias, aka da capo arias, highly decorated and virtuosic, the b
section was often in another key, the da capo aria eventually became
associated with the ritornello form,
The aria is used to advance the story and to show of the virtues and
capabilities of the singer.
Prima practica (Stile antico)
Palestrina was considered the main composer of the prima practica,
and the other music that resembled his style of composition.
Seconda Practica (Stile Moderno)
First used by Monteverdi, with the intention of distancing himself from
Palestrina and other composers that composed in the style of the
prima practica.
Toccata
Demonstrates the virtuosity of the performer, without fugal or highly
contrapuntal writing. Implements many scalar passages, light, usually
plucked instrument.

Fugue
Composition in which a short theme (subject) is passed between a
certain number of voices.
Ornamentation
Ornamentation is the decoration of music by the addition or alteration
of written notes.
Cadences may be ornamented more than other sections, esp. with
diminutions.
Many much later composers implemented the ornamentation ideas of
baroque (or earlier) music, but instead of leaving it to the taste of the
performer, the ornaments are included in the writing of the
composition.
Agrments
French for ornamentation, used especially in 17th cent keyboard music.
developed especially by Couperin in lart de toucher le clavecin.
Appoggiatura
to lean on usually a leap, followed by a step in the opposite direction,
one half or one third the length of the note it resolves to.

B
Ingale
Meaning uneven, (notes ingales) applies to notes that are one quarter
of the pulse of the meter that move stepwise. It is performed by
playing the first out of a pair of notes is performed slightly longer than
the second. It could be compared to swinging eighths in jazz.
Intermedio
Short, musical, dramatic skits that were performed between acts of a
theatrical performace. Used in 16th and 17th centuries.
Greek tradgedy
A popular form of drama performed in Greece from the late 6th cent.
BCE. The most famous playwrights of the genre were Aeschylus,
Sophocles, and Euripides.
Florentine Camerata
Group of humanists (poets, musicians, humanists) that met (met esp.
ca. 1573-1582) to discuss trends in music, art, and literature. They
were important in the development of the stile recitativo and
instrumental in the development of opera.
Opera
First opera, Dafne 1597 (By Jacopo Peri)

First good opera Orfeo 1607 (Monteverdi)

Ritornello
Little return a recurring passage of music in baroque music
performed by an ensemble or chorus
Strophic
When strophic form is implemented, the same music is repeated with
different verses.
Antiphonal
The alternation or repetition of the same music by two different choirs
or groups of instruments (ensembles, orchestras, etc)
Cori spezzati
Split choirs music written for two or more choirs. Used by J.S. Bach
and G. Gabrieli
Concertare
essere daccordo To reach agreement
Contertato style
Similar to the concerto, alternating groups of instruments that are
similar in size, as opposed to the concerto that contrasts groups of
instruemnts that are very different in size (around 1-5 soloist)
Sonata da chiesa
Church sonata, usually comprised of four movements (slow, fast,
slow ,fast), often with more than one melodic instrument. Always
instrumental
Sontata da camera
Chamber sonata, often with 3 or four movements that are begun
with a prelude. The Sonata da camera differs from the Sonata da
chiesa in that it is a suite of dances.
Trio Sonata
Popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Written for two melodic
instruments and continuo (played by two or more players) resulting in
an ensemble of four musicians in total. Violins were very often used as
the two melodic instruments.
Cantata
Pass tense of Cantare (to sing) A piece of music for singers and
accompaniment with several movements, often involving a religious
subject. Cantatas usually contain solos, duets, recitatives, and
choruses, all sung to an instrumental accompaniment.
Oratorio
Similar to the cantata with some important things that distinguish
Oratorio from Cantata, an oratorio has recognizable characters, a plot,
and is staged; however a cantata has a theme but no plot, and is not
staged. Oratorio could be seen as more similar to opera.
Stylized dance
Music influenced by baroque dance, but with more elaborate musical
elements that eventually became the focal point, above the actual

dance. Thus the music was inspired by baroque dance, but not
intended to be danced to.
Counterpoint
Writing multiple lines of music that are in conjunction with eachother.
Ricercare
Trace the development of opera to the end of the baroque
period.

1597, Dafne by Peri, not highly successful. Commissioned by the

Florentine camerata.
1607, Lorfeo by Monteverdi, more successful and still
performed. One of the only early operas that is still performed
today. One of the earliest pieces to specify instruments
1670s Lully writes Tragedies en musique for King Louis XIV at his
court in Versailles, incorporating ballet and more subtle
psychological, dramatic opera works.
1689, Dido and Aeneas by henry Purcell, his first opera, was one
of the first English operas
1711, opera seria is developed by Handel with his opera Rinaldo
with its highly dramatic style and implementation of castrati,
which led to their increasing celebrity,
1733, Pergolesi develops opera buffa (comic opera) with his work
La serva padrona that was used as an intermezzo between the
acts of one his more serious works, however it spawned a greater
number of these works being composed.
1740s, Rameau composes series of adventurous and bold operas
in the style of Tragdie en musique, following in the tradition left
by lully
Bach
1685-1750
Vivaldi
1678-1741
Couperin
1668-1733